The Chill of Death
by Bob Elder
Summary: The Yeerks release a deadly disease.


Authors Note: If you are in anyway easily influenced by vomit and death, this story isn't really for you. Oh, and I tried to keep some of the stuff as scientific as possible, but don't sue me if anything is a little bit off. 

The Chill Of Death

By: Bob Elder

**Chapter 1**

** **

Rachel fell backwards onto her bed, breathing a sigh of relief. It had been a long and particularly trying day. Her hand reached out, groping for the remote control. She still hadn't gotten over this morning's rough wake up call. Being an Animorph was really starting to interfere with important things, like sleep. Her fingers brushed the black casing, and with her eyes still closed, she turned on her stereo. 

Music swept from the large speakers, she smiled, still staring at the back of her eyelids._ Real World_ was on, oh so very appropriate. She lay there, flexing her feet in time with the music. She let out another contented sigh. It was good to just lay there, satisfied to let everything else slip from her mind. 

The entire world consisted of her, the music and the soft bed underneath her. She drifted, into the land after consciousness but beyond sleep. Her thoughts slid to and fro, back and forth across her mind, unbidden in the dark world of nothingness. Then after a time, sleep finally came to take her.

When she opened her eyes, the soft green glow of her alarm clock was the only light. The segmented numbers displayed the time. 4:00am. The music still played, softly emanating from one side of the room. Rachel sat up, rubbing her eyes. Swinging herself off of the bed, she stumbled through the dark, heading towards the adjoining bathroom. Muttering to herself, "I'll never get back to sleep now" and "I have to get ready to leave in a few hours, anyway."

She reached the door and her hand stopped, hovering over the knob. There was a retching sound coming from the other side. Rachel frowned. She called softly through the door, "Jordan? Is that you in there? Are you all right?" There was no answer. Rachel knocked softly, but called out a little louder. "Jordan? Are you ok? Open the door." 

Without waiting for an answer Rachel grasped the doorknob. It turned easily and she pushed the door inward. Jordan was kneeling down by the side of the toilet. She heaved again and more stomach contents spewed into the bowl. Vomit was smeared on her face. It ran down the front of her nightshirt, collecting in a pool around her knees. 

"Oh!" 

Jordan vomited again, and looked up "Rachel?"

"Yeah its me. What's the matter?" Jordan spewed in response. "Ok," Rachel nodded "I'll get Mom."

"No." the younger girl gasped. "Just get me a," she started to cough "Just get me a towel."Rachel stepped into the small bathroom. The tile was cold on her bare feet. Her sister coughed again, more violently. Rachel reached for the hand towel sitting on the sink. 

She turned and gave it to Jordan "There you go. What happened? Did you eat something bad?" Jordan still didn't answer, she held the cloth up to her mouth, coughing into it. Then she wiped the front of her face. 

"I'm," she stifled a cough "I'm ok." She retched into the toilet again.

Rachel frowned again. "What do you need me to do?" She knelt down beside Jordan, wincing when she felt the warm vomit on the floor. Up close, Rachel could tell that her sister's face was flushed and large dark circles had formed under her eyes."Why didn't you call someone, Jordan?" She put a hand on her sister's back, and jerked it away. Rachel could feel the cold and clammy skin underneath the thin nightshirt.

"Because I," Jordan heaved but only some spittle appeared. "...haven't been able to get up."

Rachel turned and, reaching under the small sink, produced a small gray bucket. "Here, hold this." Jordan took it, holding it close. 

"Ok, lean on me." Rachel took her sister's arm and, placed it around her neck. They stood, and Jordan spewed more spittle into the bucket. It was shocking to Rachel exactly how much of her sister's weight she needed to support. After stopping every couple of steps for Jordan to cough, they made it to the bedroom.

She set Jordan down on the bed. After digging in a drawer for a minute she produced another T-shirt. "Here, put this on." She threw the shirt on the bed next to the retching figure. Jordan looked from the shirt to Rachel, dumbly. "You can get your own shirt off." Rachel said. When Jordan just coughed, Rachel put her hand to the other girl's forehead. Her skin was hot. "You can get your own shirt off, can't you?" When the only answer was a weak shake of her head, Rachel said, "I'm getting Mom." 

Rachel opened the door, and walked out into the hallway. She could sill hear Jordan coughing. What was wrong with her? The plush carpet felt good after the hard bathroom tile, but she couldn't help but wince at the fact that she was probably tracking vomit into the hallway. She opened the door to her mom's room quietly, not wanting to wake her up in an un-kind way. The figure in the bed stirred softly at Rachel's touch. "Mom?" 

"Uh?"

"Mom, Jordan is not feeling well.

"Uh? What?" She opened her eyes and looked at the clock "Rachel? Do you know what time it is? I've got a trial in," She glanced at the clock again "four hours."

Rachel sighed, "Yeah, I know Mom, but Jordan really is bad. She threw up all over the bathroom."

Her mom swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Really? Well let's go see." They turned on the light in the hallway. They needed to see more than they feared waking Sara up. They reached Jordan's bedroom, and her mom went in first. 

"Honey are you ok?" Said Rachel's Mom as she entered. 

Jordan heaved, but by now everything she had eaten had come up already. Their mother crouched by where Jordan sat, feeling her forehead. "Oh, sweetie," she said looking at all the vomit on her nightshirt. "Lets get you out of those clothes and back into bed." Jordan smiled weakly and coughed after every other word. "Ok...I...am kinda ti...tired."

Rachel went back into her room, via the hallway. She shucked off her own stained shirt and put on a new one. Jordan hardly ever got sick. She was the healthiest person Rachel knew, with the possible exception of Jake. She sighed and crawled under the covers, stopping only to shut off her radio. Her eyes closed as she tried to catch a few more hours of sleep. 

** **

**Chapter 2**

In the morning Rachel was greeted by the same glowing numbers. She blinked trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. Those numbers had to be wrong. They had to be. She rolled over and looked out the window. They weren't. She threw the blanket off of her, only stopping to grab a mismatched outfit from her closet before she thundered downstairs. 

"Hey! Slow down! I just got your sister to sleep!" She stopped and stared at her mother. She was dressed in her best "lawyer" clothes. 

"Mom!" she remembered that Jordan was asleep and lowered her voice. "I'm going to be late for school! My alarm didn't go off!" She ran to the downstairs bathroom, but stopped just before she shut the door. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Her mother turned from the table, taking the bagel away from her mouth. "You're not going to school today."

Rachel almost dropped the bundle of clothes she was holding. "I'm not?"

"No you aren't. I can't miss this trial. It's going to bring in millions for the firm. There is no way I can miss it."

"So, I have to stay and baby-sit Jordan?" 

Her mother nodded. "I called to get a doctors appointment, but they were completely 'booked'," she snorted "They called in some antibiotics to the pharmacy, so I'll pick them up on my way home."

Rachel looked down "Ok. Thanks for asking me."

Her mother gave her a look. "Come on Rach, Jordan needs you. And so do I. Please?"

Rachel looked up, startled. Her mother needed her? Things must really be bad if Jordan couldn't stay by herself. "But, Mom" she whined "I was really looking forward to my History test today." She stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.

Her mother laughed. "Thanks Rach, we owe you one." She looked at her watch. "Jeez! Now I'm going to be late!" She gathered up her briefcase and, holding her bagel in her teeth, she piled together her last minute papers. Rachel refilled her mom's travel coffee mug and handed it to her. Her mother stepped onto the front porch and turned, trying to juggle her briefcase, coffee, and bagel."Oh, the bathroom is clean but make sure Jordan gets plenty of fluids. And keep a watch out for any more fever. Give her Tylenol if she needs it." Rachel nodded and shut the door. 

"This is going to be a long day." She took a few steps trying to pour herself a glass of Orange Juice when a shaky call came from upstairs. "Mom?"

"This is going to be a very long day." Before she went upstairs she stopped to fill up a glass of Juice for Jordan. She would probably need it more anyway. The upstairs carpet was wet in places where the vomit had been cleaned. Rachel winced in the memory. Her mom had enough stuff to do and shouldn't be cleaning the floors in the middle of the night.

She put on a smile, and stuck her head into Jordan's room. "Hello there! Mom is not here, so today, I'll be your nurse." She stepped inside, holding the drink in front of her. "Would you like a glass of Orange Juice? I'm supposed to give you fluid." Jordan looked back at her, and threw up.

Rachel sighed. "I'll take that as a no on the OJ". She set the glass down on the small dresser. "Come on, let's get you up out of that bed. I'll need to change the sheets now." Jordan nodded dumbly. With no little amount of effort, Rachel got her to a chair in the corner of the room. Jordan had the dry heaves. What little amount of water that she had drunk had just come up, so she kept gagging over the gray bucket.

Rachel sighed again. "Wait there, I'll be back with new sheets." Jordan didn't answer. Rachel went to the linen closet, picking out a new set of sheets, and a spare blanket. She took them back to the room where Jordan was now coughing. Rachel frowned. 

She was a bit squeamish about getting close to all the vomit; she had had enough of that last night. Then she remembered everything she had done that was worse than handling some dirty linen. She chuckled to herself "What's...so...funny?" Rachel turned at the unfamiliar sound. She looked around for a moment before she realized Jordan was the one who spoke. Her voice was little more than a rasping croak. 

"Um, nothing. I was just thinking about something. Are you ok?" That was a dumb question; she thought and mentally slapped herself. Of course she isn't ok! 

Jordan nodded and shivered. "I'm...cold"

Rachel worked at getting the sheets changed. When she finished she said, "There you go, Lets get you under the covers so you won't be cold anymore." She helped her sister to the bed. When she was tucked in Rachel said, "Is there anything I could get for you?" 

"No...I'm just c-c-cold"

Frowning again, Rachel checked Jordan's forehead. "You have a fever. Do you think you could take some Tylenol?"

"My throat...hurts."

Rachel didn't know how to take that, so she said "I'll get you some Tylenol for the fever, and an extra blanket ok?" Jordan nodded, teeth audibly chattering through a clenched jaw. 

When the Rachel got back with the two white pills, she coaxed them down Jordan's throat. It seemed that it must really hurt badly; with the swollen look it had. A few minutes after Rachel got down stairs, Jordan called "Rac..Rach?" The Animorph winced, that cough sounded bad. But with a sigh, she went back upstairs. Jordan had thrown up the pills, so the sheets needed to be changed, again. Rachel moaned. "A very long day."

So, that is how it went. Up, and Down. Up, and Down. Up, and Down. Why couldn't the bedrooms be on the 1st floor? Of course, once Rachel had just gotten Jordan to sleep. The phone rang. Jumping up from the sofa she ran for the kitchen. Because of the slippery floor she slid past the phone crashing into the counter. Rachel bit back a curse, and rubbing her bruised hip, she grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Rachel?" Jake's voice came through the receiver.

She sighed "Oh, hi, Jake."

"You weren't in school today. Is everything good there?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." She lunged to catch a dislodged pot from falling.

"Oh, well then, do you want to meet us all? We've got something we need to talk about."

She put the pot back on the counter. "Hm. Well," she glanced up the stairs "I really can't leave. My sister isn't feeling well, and I've been taking care of her all day." 

"Oh, well we need you. A friend of ours says he has some information for us."

"Would that friend be and older guy?" Rachel twirled the phone cord around her finger.

"Yeah, that's him." there was a pause "He said it couldn't wait."

She sighed. "Ok, but I can't be long. Jordan is pretty bad."

"Fine. You can leave after we find out what we need to know."

"Ok. I'll be there." 

Jake hung up and Rachel turned around. She tiptoed upstairs and silently opened the door. Jordan laid sleeping, covers pulled up beneath her chin. Rachel shut the door, and made for her own bedroom window. "Just 15 minutes" she promised herself, "Just 15 minutes and then I'll be back."She morphed to head out for Cassie's farm.

** **

** **

**Chapter 3**

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I never knew this place had a loft!" Marco stuck his head down through the trap door. 

Cassie laughed "It IS a barn. Barns usually have lofts." 

"Yeah, but, I've never been in a loft before and...I'm excited!" little pieces of straw floated down through the door as Marco moved around.

Jake glanced up the ladder "You could come down Marco. Its just a place for straw and hay."

"Jake, Jake!" Marco called "Come up here, this is sooo cool!"

Jake sighed "I'm leading a fight against the Yeerks with people like, him?" He bobbed his head towards the ladder. Cassie giggled, "Yep. You are." 

"Fine, Marco." Jake said, "I'll be right up!"

Simple things amuse him. 

Cassie looked up. "Yeah, but what can you say, that's Marco for you!" She finished slicing the leafy vegetables for the rabbits.

Yeah, that's Marco for you. The bird turned to the window. Incoming Eagle. 

Hi Rachel. 

"I missed you at school today, Rach" 

Marco poked his head through the trap door again. "Greetings, Xena. It's so pleasant of you to grace us with your presence. I hope that..." He jerked back suddenly and Jake appeared. "Yo Rachel, don't mind him, he's just happy cause he found a new place to explore."

Rachel demorphed. "Sorry about school today. Jordan's sick and I needed to take care of her."

"No problaymo, Rach" Marco pushed Jake out of the way and climbed down the ladder. 

"What do you care, Marco? YOU don't even talk to her during the day." Cassie opened the rabbit's cage, placing a portion of the green mixture in.

Jake hopped down next to Marco. "By the way, how's Jordan doing?"

"Oh, she's not doing that great. Its the flu, probably"

You were home today and didn't come see me? 

She turned to Tobias, but she could already tell it was a private message. 

She looked back at the others "So, is Erek going to be here? I really need to get back. Jordan will probably flip if I'm not there." 

Why didn't you come see me, Rach? By the sound in his voice he was upset. She edged closer to his perch and whispered, "Look. My sister was throwing up all over the place. I promise you though, once she's better, we'll go flying ok?"

Ok He sounded satisfied, and started to preen himself."Is there anyway we can get Erek here faster? And WHERE is Ax?"

Jake looked up, "Do you really think we could make Erek come any faster than he wants to?" Jake's face flushed "...and we don't exactly KNOW where Ax is...exactly. That's one reason why we're here."

Ax isn't around? "What happened? Where is he?" Rachel glanced up at Tobias. 

I don't know. I haven't seen him by his scoop. He even missed THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. We never miss that soap. 

Marco harrumphed "You two are getting to be the regular bunch of housewives."

Shut up, Marco. Tobias looked back to Rachel I was pretty worried. I spent all day looking for him. Nothing. 

Jake stood and walked over to help Cassie lift a large empty cage to a higher storage shelf. She smiled at him and he continued, "Before Erek gets here we should figure out what to do about Ax."

"It is really unusual for him to be gone."

"I'd say so." Marco hung his head. "I can look in the loft later. We have stuff to discuss now."

Rachel nodded. "Great, but I really have to get back to the house. Jordan might need me."

Incoming Android. 

Instead of flying through the open window like Rachel, Erek opened the door. The smile on his holographic face looked forced, if that was possible. "Hi guys. Thanks for meeting me today." He sighed and his smile wavered, "Although you probably won't like what I have to say."

Marco moaned "Oh, is THAT anything new?" He slid his back down the wall near the loft's ladder. "We ALL know by now that when the Chee show up, there is trouble."

Erek coughed to clear his throat. Do Androids have throats? "Well. I..." He stopped

"Its ok, Erek. Just take your time and tell us what you need to." That's Cassie, Rachel thought, always so perceptive, even with Holograms.

The android's electronic eyes moved over the group, "You're right. I'm sorry." He took a breath. "Its just that this subject is particularly...hard, for me."

Jake, Rachel, and Cassie leaned forward and Marco even opened his eyes. "Hard for you? What?"

Erek sat down on the floor folding his legs underneath him. Rachel arched her eyebrow; Erek didn't sit very often, especially in the middle of the barn. 

The android put his head back trying to banish old and fearful memories. When he spoke the words came out fast, like he was spiting filth out of his mouth. "The war is going badly for the Andalites. They have been routed from all outlying sectors and they have been beaten at almost every battle, well, all the ones that counted anyway." He swallowed, an audible gulping sound in the now silent barn. "The yeerks are very happy with the way the war is going-"

"Of course they are, they're winning!" 

Jake turned to look behind him, and shot Marco a look."Go on. I think that you were right to want to talk to us, I just don't know how that affects us here and now."

Erek lifted his hands to stifle the flow of questions. "Let me finish, please?"

Cassie nodded. "Sure, We're sorry."

So the Android started to speak again. "They are so happy that they believe they will be able to isolate the Andalite Home World, within a few months." Erek swallowed again "From what we can find out...the council of 13 has deemed that the need for more resources has...outweighed the need for...human hosts."

"What?!"

"Huh?"

"What does that mean?"

Excuse me? 

"What it means is," Erek opened his eyes "To optimize the resources on Earth, the yeerks would need massive amounts of workers on the surface and below the ocean extracting ore and other such things."

Cassie looked down, playing with a stray piece of straw. "They wouldn't be able to do that in secret."

Erek nodded "They are going to take as many hosts as they can, then exterminate the rest."

"Exterminate!?"

"What?!"

"How?"

Erek looked at Jake. " There is a possibility that if Earth were to unite they could beat back the Yeerk forces in orbit. So, since the yeerks have become more careful with your exploits, plus they are secretive by their very nature, they won't come out into the open unless their hand is forced." 

Rachel's eyes rested on the Chee. He looked close to tears. "What does that mean?"

Erek sighed "The yeerks will use more...subtle...ways."

Subtle? 

The android sighed again, bringing his hands up to his face. "Yes. We've found out that the yeerks have genetically engineered a form of The Pneumatic Yersinia pestis bacterium." 

Cassie shot up from her bale of hay. "Yersinia pestis? Are you serious?"

Erek nodded. "The pneumatic strain of the un-engineered type already had a 100%, untreated, mortality rate." He swallowed "The new form works faster and is much more contagious. Once its released, you're all going to die."

# Chapter 4

There was complete silence in the barn for a full minute before total chaos erupted. The Animorphs, with the exception of Marco, shot up from their seats, practically at once. "DIE?"

What? 

"Oh! I'm too young to die" 

"Yersina Pestis!"

"Huh?"

"Just what do you mean Erek?"

We're all going to die??? 

"But, Yersina pestis is the scientific name for the Bubonic Plague!"

"I'm never going to get to have...hey Rachel...want to meet me in the closet?"

"Marco! Shut Up!"

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" Jake face was red. "Be quiet so we can hear what else he needs to tell us!"

Cassie nodded. "Ok" She sunk back onto her bale of hay. Her hands were shaking. She intertwined her fingers. A deadlier strain of the Plague? This was not good. Not good at all.

Marco hit the back of his head against the wall. "Well, at least that wasn't a flat out no."

"I can't believe you Marco! Do all guys think with their-?"

Jake shot her a heated glance, and Rachel lapsed into silence.

"Now," he turned, to face Erek. "What exactly do you mean?"

The Android's sad eyes met his gaze. "I meant what I said."

The blood rushed out of Jake's face again "You really mean that we'll die and we can't stop it? Will morphing help?"

Erek swallowed, "It could, in theory. You would have to morph very frequently."

Jake sighed, a mixture of relief and apprehension. "So we won't die." 

The figure on the floor held up a hand "You would have to morph something small, very small. So that the chance of expelling the Bacteria will be greater. But morphing would only work if the bacteria doesn't get a foothold in your system. Once you're infected; the morphing technology could misconstrue it to be part of your DNA. But Ax would know more about it than I." He looked around, eyes skimming group, his holographic mouth twisted into a puzzled expression. "Where is he?"

Marco hit the back of his head against the wall again. 

We don't know. 

Erek paled. "You don't know?" Jake shook his head. "I'll send the Chee out to...find him."

"Why are you telling us, Erek?" Everyone, even Marco, looked at Cassie. "I mean, why would you tell us if there was nothing we could do?"

The android smiled sadly "We have learned that the Yeerks are developing a vaccine for the workers that will live on the planet."

"You, You Bastard!" Rachel stormed towards the Android. "You come in here telling us we're all going to die, but then you tell us there is a cure? Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Rachel actually spat by Erek's shoe. 

His eyes swiveled from the spit up to her face. "I'm sorry you feel that way." He sighed "Although we know that there is a vaccine under-development, we don't know where, or if it's complete yet. Even with the morphing, you'll die before we can get it and administer it to you." He looked down. "But what we ask, if you are still alive, would be that you help us get the vaccine, so we can save as many humans from the outlying areas as possible? We don't want the humans to become like the Pemalites..." He trailed off, and silence consumed the barn once again.Rachel blanched. One thought cut through the rest of her mind. It reverberated, over and over. "Jordan!" 

She didn't even know the words had brushed past her lips before Erek looked up sharply. She didn't hear what he said. Jordan was sick. Suddenly she was moving, running out the door, all thoughts of morphing gone. She ran down the sidewalk, ignoring the strange looks. Did Jordan have it? She wished the little voice in her head said something other than "Yes". She reached her front door, it opened and she thundered up the stairs.

# Chapter 5

From the landing, she could hear Jordan's cough. Rachel moved down the hallway, slowing as she reached the door. She paused, was it safe to go in? If Jordan really did have the plague, wouldn't being in the same room infect Rachel?

She shook her head slowly, almost laughing at her stupidity. She had been taking care of Jordan all day! She had changed the sheets, and gotten vomit on her last night. She snorted and didn't stop to ponder the thought. 

She opened the door, and was shocked by the way her sister looked. Jordan's eyes were sunken, and red to an almost unbelievable shade. In contrast, the color had had completely gone out of her face, leaving it a ghastly white. She was still coughing, and more flecks of blood appeared on her lips.

Rachel's hand involuntarily came up to shield her face. It was so horrible! It hadn't been that long since she had left, and Jordan had gotten worse. Much worse. Was this what was going to happen to them all? She pushed forward, and despite her apprehension, knelt next to the bed 

The figure gasped weakly "W....wat..er". 

Rachel turned and lifted the glass of water from the nightstand. Gently placing it to her sister's lips, she said, "I'm going to call 911. We are going to take a little trip, ok?" Jordan coughed and nodded. Standing, Rachel put the water down. "I'll be right back, hold on." She turned and walked out into the hallway, making for the closest phone.

When she was out of sight, Rachel ran to her room. She reached the phone, and picking up the clear plastic receiver, dialed 911. As her shaking finger hit the last digit, nothing happened. What a time for the phone not to work! She hung up, and tried again. Still there was nothing.

"I'm interfering with the signal, Rachel. I'm sorry, but I can't let you call." she spun at Erek's voice. He won't let her call? What? "All it would accomplish" he said, "Would to infect everyone at the hospital. The doctors won't be able to help her."

Rachel held the phone up in front of her as if it was a talisman, ignoring the sudden burning sensation in her eyes. "But," she started "I have to call. She'll...die...if we don't get her to a doctor."

The android's eyes were suddenly not looking at her, but they were seeing somewhere else a very, long time ago. He stepped forward, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Rachel. She is going to die anyway."

She moved back, shaking off his hands. "Liar! I don't believe you!" Was it true? Was Jordan going to die? It hadn't seemed possible; it hadn't really seemed...like reality. Yet, seeing Jordan lying there, so much sicker than when Rachel had left, it suddenly felt real. Very real. " I..." Rachel buried her face in her hands. Was there nothing that could save her sister? Nothing that would save the little girl, dying in the next room?

Erek's arms wrap around her. She tried to pull away, to wipe the tears from her face, but she couldn't. Realization swept through her, like being plunged into icy water. Dying. Dying! Jordan was infected with bacteria the Yeerks had released. And so, Rachel thought, am I. Would it be her on that bed next, coughing up her lungs, gasping for a drink of water?

She pulled back. Why should Erek try and comfort her? What did he know of death, he was a Chee, and he was going to live forever! And, she didn't need to be held like a small child with a skinned knee! She looked up about to give Erek a few harsh words, but she saw that his face was as wet as her own. Was it possible for Androids to cry? Had he wanted to comfort her, or was he seeking comfort himself? "I..." She stopped. "Is there nothing we can do for her?" 

Erek looked into her eyes. "Aside from getting the vaccine? I could try and make her as comfortable as I can. It might be possible for me to electrically stimulate the sleep centers in her brain. To let her rest." He looked down, each word now drawn out and painful. "The most humane thing would be to...do something...my programming...won't allow."

What was he saying!? It would BEST to kill Jordan? Kill her? Rachel swallowed. But, was he wrong? Was it better to go quickly, as apposed to lying there, wasting away, the victim of a genetically engineered illness? Rachel sighed, and stifled more threatening tears. "Can you make it so she sleeps? She doesn't cough as much when she is asleep." Maybe that in itself would help slow the process. It would provide her some relief, at the very least. 

Erek's hologram flickered and changed, and his familiar body was replaced by a nondescript man in an EMT uniform. He smiled sadly, "I'd tell you to morph something really small to help get the bacteria out of your system, but I don't think that it would do any good. It has a 12-hour incubation rate. By now..." he trailed off, the rest left unspoken. Turning, he walked into the hallway.

Rachel sunk down onto the bed. She ticked off the hours in her mind. It had been just about 12 hours since she had encountered Jordan in the bathroom. She swallowed, ignoring the sudden scratchy feeling in her throat. That could mean that it would be as little as another 12 hours before she was sick like Jordan. Not a good thought. Mentally, she slapped herself. What was she doing just sitting here? Jordan needed her! The least she could do would say goodbye, in case...Rachel shuddered.

She stood, dropping the phone on the bed. As she entered Jordan's room her heart skipped a beat. Her father was bent over the bed talking to Jordan in low tones. Rachel only caught the last of it. "...and so, whenever I'm scared, I think about what makes me happiest and it helps me feel better." 

Jordan gave a weak smile. "...Tha...nks..." 

He smiled and kissed Jordan's forehead. "I want you to go to sleep, when you're feeling better, we'll go somewhere fun. Just the two of us."

Jordan smiled again "O...Ok...Daddy." Her eyelids slid down, and sleep tugged at her consciousness.

Erek stood, and switched back to his regular form. His eyes landed on Rachel. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to deceive her like that. She saw me standing in the doorway and asked me if I was her father." he looked down, "I didn't have the heart to tell her I wasn't, so I switched my hologram...I'm sorry."

Erek had always been so, sure of himself. Confident. It was horrible to see him so sad. It suddenly occurred to her that he knew a great deal about death. Stepping forward she grasped his forearm. "Its ok. You probably gave her a moment or two of happiness, before she went to sleep." Her tongue felt thick as her eyes moved to the bed. Would Jordan wake up again? She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye...

"Say, what's going on Rachel?"

Erek and Rachel both turned. Sarah slipped her backpack off of her shoulder. "How is Jordan? Is she better now?"

Rachel didn't burst into tears. She tried her best not to look sad, and even managed a sort of grin. "Hey there Sarah, how did your day go?"

"It was fine. But you weren't out to meet me at the bus stop. Who's he?"

"I'm sorry about not being there, I'll be there.... tomorrow." Would she? "Now, how about you go over to your friend Kayla's house to play. You haven't been there in a long time." She paused "I bet if you're really good, they might even let you stay for dinner. Won't that be fun?" 

Sarah's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Would you walk me there?"

Could she? "Of course. Just give me one second with my friend here. How about you go wait outside?" Sarah nodded and started down the stairs. When the front door slammed shut, Rachel said "Erek, I can't walk her to Kayla's, can I?" She was hoping for a, 'Yes Rachel, of course you can. There is no reason for you to be scared of infecting your sister because you don't have the plague.' and she was disappointed

Erek nodded. "The odds of infection are greater the longer you are even in the same room." His hologram flickered and Rachel was suddenly looking at herself. It was strange. "I..." she paused. "I want you to do whatever you have to, to find this vaccine. Not just for me, but for Sarah and," her voice faltered "and Jordan."

"I will do my best, Rachel. Try to stay away from the other Animorphs. If they aren't infected already, you don't want to speed it up." He smiled slowly, mournfully. "I'll see if I can convince Kayla's parents to let Sarah spend the night there." With a last look back to the bedroom, Erek started down the stairs, out to walk Rachel's sister to her friends.

Rachel stood at the top of the stairs and watched as Erek opened the front door and was gone. It was only her now. Her and Jordan. Her and Jordan and the disease. The house suddenly felt very crowded. Her mother would be home soon. What would Rachel say? Was there anything to say? "Oh, Hi Mom, my day went fine, except for the planned extermination of the Human race!"

She chortled. Yeah that was nice and fitting. Jordan coughed again, softer this time, from her induced sleep. Rachel turned and went back to Jordan's bedside. Pulling up a chair she sat. "I didn't get to tell you goodbye." She picked up her sister's hand in hers. The fingers stirred briefly at her touch, but Jordan did not wake. 

Jordan coughed again, more flecks of red appearing on her face. Rachel brushed them away with the side of her hand. What did it matter anyway? She sat there with Jordan for a long while, watching the rise and fall of her sister's chest. The rhythm of it bid her eyes to close, and sleep crept up softly. 

# Chapter 6

Marco pushed the rest of food in font of him away. It had taken all his will just to eat the little bit he did. "What's up, Sport? You hardly ate anything."

Marco smiled, or tried to. "Sorry Dad, you know I can't eat any of your cooking. It makes me sick."

His father laughed, "Yeah, I know, I'm not the cook your mother was." He looked down. "Tell me what's really bothering you Marco. Please? You haven't been yourself all night."

He stirred some beans around with his fork. "Its nothing"

"Marco. I know you too well. There is something wrong." His voice got lower "Is it a girl?"

Know me? Marco thought, You don't know me! How could you ever possibly think that? He immediately felt guilty. His father was wonderful. They had weathered hard times together and it was wrong to judge him because he didn't know the truth. After all, nobody knew the truth except for the Yeerks and the Animorphs. "No, it's not a girl." Marco said. It's just that I found out that we're all going to die! He wanted to scream.

His father's eyes twinkled. "It is a girl isn't it? Yes it is! Oh, you can't lie to your old man. Who is it?"

Marco REALLY wanted to scream but he said, "It isn't a girl." 

"I bet its Rachel."

"Rachel? As in Jake's Cousin? That Rachel? Xena? Dad, you are crazy!"

"Xena? Oh, a pet name! How cute!"

Marco could feel his ears burning. Rachel? That in itself was a scary thought. He and Rachel were friends, sure. But they could never be...that

"Oh, it IS Rachel isn't it! Come on Marco, I haven't seen you two together very often, but when I have you are always nervously flirting!"

Nervously Flirting?!! Ok, this was getting out of hand. He had no idea where the flirting thing came from, but the nervousness most probably came from the fact that whenever Rachel and he had gotten together it was because they had some minor mission they were paired together on.

"Come on Marco, its normal." His father poked his arm from across the table.

That's when Marco finally did scream "No, it's not normal! My life is not Normal! Nothing is NORMAL!" 

His father drew back, with an expression of shock and hurt. He stammered for a moment and then said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would upset you so much. I was just joking around." He stood picking up his plate and taking it into the kitchen. 

His father hadn't meant anything. Stupid Marco! He was just joking, like they always used to. Marco picked up his plate and followed his father into the kitchen. What had he been thinking, yelling like that? "Dad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. I was just frustrated, I had a pretty crappy day today." 

His father took Marco's plate and put it in the sink. "Obviously. I really didn't mean to make you upset. You're changing Marco," his voice wavered "and I don't think I know you anymore."

"Oh, Dad." Marco sighed, "Things have been rough lately, I'm sorry. I really am."

"That's ok, Marco." he reached over and tousled his son's hair. "If you ever want to talk to me about anything, I'm here."

Marco smiled "Yeah Dad I know you're always here for me." But I can' talk to you. Marco turned and left the kitchen. Behind him he heard his father cough, and mutter something about phlegm.

***

Jordan stirred, and Rachel's eyes fluttered open. She lifted her head slightly, and was immediately sorry. Waves of pain washed through her. "Ugh..." Her hands came up, trying to shield her eyes from the suddenly harsh light of the lamp. 

What time is it? She tried to get a look out the window, but the glare from the light was the only thing she saw. Squinting helped, somewhat, but the light was so bright. So bright. Rachel stood, and to her great surprise had to brace herself on the side of the chair to keep her knees from buckling.

Was this how it started? Was this how Jordan had felt? Standing helped her legs, but not her head. She moved towards the door and was able to make it to the hallway. Her knees seemed to be working ok, but her head was pounding.

Taking a deep breath she moved down the hall, her fingers trailing lightly over the wallpaper. She gritted her teeth. I will not put my weight on the wall! She thought, I will stand by myself! The pain in her head remained at a constant throbbing. 

After stopping only once, she made it to the stairs. It was a small victory, actually. The way her head was hurting, she almost wished that she had leaned on the wall. Almost. What time was it, anyway? Her mother should have been home long before now.

The dim light of the hall helped her eyes. So she looked at the clock, and her mouth dropped open. It was 10:00 pm! Where is Mom? If her mother had taken one look at Jordan she would have rushed her off to the hospital. 

Rachel took the stairs slowly, holding the railing. The incline was sooo steep! Looking down at the floor below made her stomach flip. How come she had never realized how high these stairs actually were?

By the time she had made it down all the steps, her stomach had done a complete 180 from the feeling of "Fine". The pain in her head was growing steadily, one throb at a time. It seemed to Rachel that this was happening too fast. Jordan had taken a long time to get so sick. Where was Mom?

She moved towards the bathroom, trying to get to the Tylenol. How could her head have gotten so bad? It felt like it was going to burst open! Her vision blurred around the edges. Suddenly there was two of everything. She felt her arms wind-milling as the floor was flying up at her.

# Chapter 7

Jake pushed the covers off of him. Why is it so hot in here? Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stretched, getting the knots worked out of his shoulders. Another fruitless night. If he didn't get to sleep soon, he would pass out before he could be of use to any body. 

Why was it so hot in here? Jake sighed and glanced at the clock. Middle of the night! The nights had been rough since he had become an Animorph, but this had easily become the worst sleepless one so far. He shivered, and pulled at the neck of his shirt. "Damn heat."

Normally, his dreams had contained horrible visions of Hork-Bajir sweeping down on his house, and taking him and his family. Or perhaps Visser Three himself ordered Cassie tortured and made Jake watch. Maybe the world started to explode with him being the only free human left alive. But now, his mind had a whole new scenario to work with. The disease, and unseen killer, cutting down the Animorphs one by one, until there was only him...

What was he going to do about this? He shook his head. There was nothing to be done. They could only wait until Erek brought some news, until he found out somebody was sick. That was the first thing he did. The first thing he thought of. Separate.

They must be separate to avoid infection. If one of them was sick, they could get the rest, effectively ending any resistance at all. God knew the Chee wouldn't be able to get any vaccine by themselves. Jake rubbed the back of his neck trying to banish the demons from his mind. It was a race against time. And they were lagging behind. 

"Well, I'm up anyway..." He stood and began to morph. He had just morphed an hour or two before, but Erek had been adamant that they morph as often as possible to try to halt the spread. His skin hardened into the exoskeleton of the flea. Oh, how ironic. It was the smallest morph he had, but Jake still chuckled at the fact Yersinia Pestis was originally carried in the digestive system of the flea. 

When he had finished, he morphed back. How was Cassie doing? Or Marco? He glanced longing at the phone, but his gaze drifted to the clock. It was still to...early...to call. The phone was dangerous, as always, even though Tom had mysteriously disappeared. 

Jake wiped his forehead. Stupid Yeerks! Chapman looked to be gone too. They had evacuated all the controllers. I guess I know that my parents aren't Yeerks. Jake chortled. That was one small consolation.

He let his thoughts wander back to Rachel. Was she ok? She had left that meeting in a hurry. Erek had said not to follow. Jake wasn't too sure why, although he had a guess. He shivered again and pulled the front of his shirt away from his chest. "Stupid heat."

He had to physically restrain Cassie to keep her from going after Rachel. He hopped that his cousin was ok. It took a great deal to make Rachel run like that. He coughed into he back of his hand. It was a waiting game now. 

Where was Ax? Tobias was still searching, but...Jake had an ominous feeling that Ax was dead. The Andalite would not have been gone so long without checking in. Jake closed his eyes, and laid back on the bed. He should do something. Tell the Animorphs to do something, anything but waiting. He coughed again.

Who will die first? Had it been Ax? Will it be me? Will it be Cassie? That last thought made him press his eyes together tighter. Who will be the last? The thoughts were still with him, when he fell to sleep.

***

Marco pushed his window up and shook his head.He understood the need for separation, but they should have found some way to keep in contact.Marco bit his lower lip. Should he? Shouldn't he? He sighed. It would be a violation of Jake's direct order...jeez what are we in? The military?

He shook his head again. It wouldn't be a smart move, but he was worried about Rachel. She had run out of that meeting like the hounds of hell were after her. What was wrong? Was she sick? There was a twinge in his stomach and he closed his eyes. It would be horrible if Rachel were sick...

With his mind made up, he started to morph. Feathers appeared on his skin and he thought, Could I catch the disease while in morph? When Marco was fully osprey he launched himself out the window heading for Rachel's house. It was late, but with a little luck, she would be up. Odds are nobody has gotten any sleep.

Flapping his wings, Marco spotted Rachel's house. The lights were on in several of the rooms. He made for Rachel's window, but she wasn't there. Where would she be at this time of the..morning? He landed near some bushes, and demorphed. 

This was insane. What was he going to do? Walk right up to the door at 3 am and say "Hello. Can Rachel come out to play?" Well, what was wrong with that? It would be perfectly normal for a guy in bike shorts to show up at your doorstep this late/early and ask for your particularly hot teenage daughter, wouldn't it?

Climbing the stairs, he knocked on the door. So what if it was crazy? He was already disobeying Jake anyway. When nobody came to the door, he knocked louder. After knocking a third time he tried the doorknob. It was open. "Weird..." Nobody left their door unlocked, at least nobody Marco knew of. 

"Hello?" he called out "Is anybody home?" Silence was his only answer. "Rachel?" Stepping in, he shut the door behind him. The only thing more normal than a guy showing up on your doorstep in bike shorts inquiring about your particularly hot teenage daughter would be a guy in bike shorts searching your house for your particularly hot daughter. I sure am glad Rachel's dad moved across the country, Marco thought. 

He made his way up the staircase. "Hello?" there was a soft groan from one of the bedrooms. Marco turned to face the door. "Hello?" he pushed it open. Light from the hall fell in to room, cleaving a slice out of the darkness. 

She lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Rachel?" Marco reached over and turned on the light, and almost threw up. It was not Rachel lying on the bed, it was Jordan. From what Marco could see she didn't look good. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of her eye. Her hand had fallen off the bed, fingers just touching the floor. They were black.

Jordan's mouth worked soundlessly. Marco rushed forward. "Jordan? Oh, God!" she still looked past him, seeing something else. She coughed, took a last few wheezing breaths, her eyes slipped closed, and she lay still. 

What could he do? His mind raced. Nothing. She had the disease...Marco stepped back sharply. It was dangerous to be here...Rachel! He turned racing down the steps. Common sense told him to continue out the door, but he didn't listen. 

As he turned the corner, he found her face down on the floor."Oh!" He skidded to a stop and knelt down. Gently, he turned her over.She wasn't dead, that was good. "Rachel? Rachel are you ok?" Her eyes fluttered open. "What? Oh, my head..." Her hand came up to shield her face. 

"Iit looks like you took a spill."

She started to cough. "W...hat are you doing here?"

"You left the meeting so fast, I...was worried." 

She glanced around. "The meeting? That w...as hours ago..."

Marco nodded. "Jake said that we all should stay seperate. But I didn't have anything else to do...so..." 

Rachel blinked. "Well...since you're here, he...lp me up."

"Sure" He took her by the arm, and got her on her feet.

Rachel brought her hands up over her eyes and coughed. "My head hurts...Could you ge...t me some...Tylenol?" 

Marco frowned. "Sure. Sure." But it would take a lot more than Tylenol to make her well.

# Chapter 8

"Allright Rach," he said as she swallowed the pills "I think we need to get outahere." 

"No, No. I ne...ed to take care of Jordan."

Marco shot a glance at the stairs, and put a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "I think," he started, and sighed. "I think Jordan is dead."

Rachel blinked. "Dead? No..No..." She started to cough. 

"Rachel," he said gently "Yes. We can call Erek to come take care of it." he looked around "Where's your mom?"

She shrugged "I don't know...Is she really dead??"

Marco nodded and looked down, not wanting to see Rachel cry. "Can you morph?" It would be completely and utterly stupid, but she couldn't stay here. 

"I think so." 

"Good. Good. You can crash at my place."

She looked up sharply, and regretted it. Spots floated across her vision. "Your place!" she coughed "I think I'll go to Cassie's"

Marco looked down. "You can't go to Cassie's. If she isn't sick....you don't want to infect her." He looked up again, meeting her gaze. 

Suddenly Rachel understood. She had it. Marco was killing himself just being here! "Then I'll go out to Tobias." She stood up from the chair she was seated on, and almost fell. Marco was there to catch her. 

"If you can morph, go ahead. My dad will be up soon and we should have you squared away by then." 

He just wouldn't take no for an answer! But, where else did she have to go?? Her head really hurt...but with a lot of concentration, she started to morph. It went very slowly at first, feathers appearing one after the other, but as she became more bird than human, the pain in her head eased. When she was fully eagle, she only had an odd feeling of-ickyness, if it can be described that way. 

Marco pushed open the window, and morphed to osprey. The two birds flew off towards his house. What am I doing? He thought. I am condemning myself, and my Dad. What right have I to choose weather or not he lives or dies? None. But it is still my choice. 

Just as the sun was about to peak over the horizon, the pair flew into Marco's room. Rachel's wingtips brushed the edges of the window as she made a bad landing on the floor. As she was demorphing the ickyness became more and more tangible. Pain exploded into her head and she became fully human.

She let out a small cry and almost toppled over. Hastily, she covered her eyes, willing her head to stop pounding. It didn't work. That's when her stomach started to twist. I will not throw up! I won't show weakness! That train of thought lasted about a minute before she heaved. 

"Aw, man!" Marco said as he leaped out of the way.

There came a rapping at the door. "Marco? Are you all right in there? I thought I heard some noise" 

He shoved the wastepaper basket at Rachel as he moved the to door. He opened it a crack, willing Rachel to hold in her stomach for two minutes. "No, Dad. I'm fine."

His fathers sleep blurred eyes tried to peer around Marco's frame into the room. "Really? I thought I heard, something."

Please Rachel. Please, be quiet! "No Dad. Nobody here but me and my other two personalities!" 

His father barked a laugh. "Yeah, ok. But you should get up now kiddo. You got school." Marco nodded, and almost slammed the door.

He turned, to find Rachel with both hands covering her mouth. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and spewed into the trashcan. 

"Oh, not good."

Between trying to placate his father, pretending to get ready to go to school and trying to keep Rachel quiet, it was turning out to be a great morning indeed. As soon as his father was out the door, Marco picked up the phone. He called the Chee's private secure phone line and left a short message. "Erek, its Marco. Rachel is sick, she is over here...but Jordan is...dead. Can you," he took a breath "take care of that? Thanks."

Rachel hid in Marco's room trying to throw up quietly. Do you know how hard that is? Several times she tried to move, to morph, to get out of here! But each time pain radiated through her, forcing her to remain by the can. That day, none of the Animorphs attended school...

# Chapter 9

"In our top story today," the news anchor cleared is throat. "Hospitals all over the county are filling up with patients. Doctors are baffled by the nature of this mysterious disease. So far, there have been 4 deaths associated with the following symptoms: Coughing, High fever, dizziness, nausea that may include intense headaches." The man took a sip of water and his gaze returned to the camera. "If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please call your physician. We now go live to Tracy Grenloch from St. Jude's hospital downtown."

The picture on the TV changed to a woman dressed in green hospital garb. A mask covered her nose and mouth, making her speech sound muffled and fuzzy. Behind the woman, hospital staff ran back and forth carrying blankets and such.

"Thank you John. Within the last 24 hours 30 people have been admitted-" 

Jake clicked off the TV, and pulled a fresh tissue out of the box. He laughed grimly. So, this is what it all comes down to. Extermination. The doctors don't have a chance. We have to get that vaccine. We HAVE too! He coughed, fighting the bad feeling in his stomach. 

The phone rang. Jake jumped, and berating himself for stupidity, he picked up the receiver. "Hello?" 

"Jake? Jake?" Cassie's voice came through. He could tell she was upset. 

"Yeah?"

"Jake," there was a pause "I'm scared." The admission of fear wasn't too startling. It was something that had been brewing in him for a long while. 

"I know, Cass. I'm scared too." 

"What are we going to do?" she coughed "...I'm not feeling so hot."

The thought of her being sick sent chills up his spine. He tried to lighten the moment, "Oh come on, you know you're always hot."

She let out a laugh. "Yeah. Ok Jake," Cassie coughed again "Do you think our friend will find...you know...before..." she trailed off. 

Jake swallowed. "I'm sure he'll find it. I know he will." Jake coughed and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"My plan of separation. It didn't help a bit! As far as I know, everyone is sick..." He coughed.

Silence enveloped each end of the phone as both of them considered what that meant. 

***

There was a knock at the door. Marco opened it hesitantly to find Erek standing there. The Chee looked up, eyes sad. "Jordan is taken care of.... Where is Rachel?"

Marco jerked his head back behind him. "I think she has gotten worse." Erek simply nodded, and stepped through the door. 

Rachel was lying on the couch, alternatively coughing, and spewing. Her face was very flushed. Erek could sense the heat radiating from her, even from a few steps away. The Chee moved forward and crouched down by her. "Hey Rach." His voice wavered. "I just dropped by to say hello." 

She nodded, and coughed. "Wh…at's up…Erek?" 

The android smiled "Not too much. I just wanted to take a look at you." He reached over and pushed a strand of sweat soaked hair out of her face. 

Marco raised an inquisitive eyebrow. I wonder if there is there anything going on there, he thought. That would be kind of weird. Well, no more weird then holding a relationship with a bird. Erek whispered a few more things to Rachel before he stood up.

The android turned to Marco. "Can I talk to you alone?" 

Marco's inquisitive eyebrow arched higher. "Sure." 

The two walked back to the front wall, out of easy earshot. "Look," Erek said "I…We…think that we may have found out where they are developing the vaccine at."

Marco almost jumped out of his skin. "That's Great!" 

Erek winced, and shot a glance in Rachel's direction. "Keep it down, will you? The first problem is that we _think _we know." He took a breath "The second is where we _think _it is…is down in the yeerk pool."

Marco paused "So, why are you telling me? We should get this news to Jake, and pronto." He looked back over his shoulder to the couch. "Very_ pronto_."

"Yes. There are other Chee out to find the other Animorphs…. I just wanted to see her. Before…" he trailed off. It seemed as though nobody wanted to say what came after "before", or perhaps more importantly, what _happens _"after". "I'm supposed to bring you two the one of the little used entrances in the forest, where we can slip in quietly. Once we're there, the other Chee and I will project our holograms to simulate a small Andalite attack force."

"I thought your programming would allow-"

"We can't kill anybody. But with a few well-placed shots on the rock wall, we can create a lot of confusion." He paused "I don't think the yeerks will ignore 30 Andalites running at them to chase a discreet group of animals."

Marco nodded. "Okay…but what about Rachel? She can't come can she?"

Erek shook his head. "Marco, she can barely stand."

He sighed "That means we are only four. If only Ax hadn't have disappeared…"

Erek closed his eyes. "He didn't just disappear. We found his body, yesterday."

"What?" Marco took an involuntary step backward.

"We didn't want to cause you undo anxiety. It looks as though his immune system wasn't equipped to handle the disease. He died very quickly."

Marco blinked. He was dead the whole time. Dead. Without anything else to say to Erek, he walked over to Rachel. It would kill her to stay here, but then of course, it would probably kill her to come with them. 

"Rachel? I need to go out for a while. I'll be back before my Dad gets home, if for some reason I'm not, just think of some scathing remarks to get him to leave you alone."

She gave him a weak smile. "Okay. Although I…thi…nk I shou…ld come with…you." 

She knew. Nothing slid by this one. "No, you need to stay here. In case we need some backup."

"Bull…shit. You think...I …can…'t make it."

"Oh, you know you're Xena. I gotta get going." Just like that, he and Erek left the apartment to go down to hell. 

# Chapter 10

** **

****After a few moments, Rachel started to gather her remaining energy. They could just go stuff themselves if they though that she was going to stay here! As Marco said himself, 'Oh you know you're Xena'. Rachel pushed herself up in a sitting position. That act alone made her head swim. Her stomach heaved, and she vomited. 

For a brief moment, she had doubts about whether she could actually get up, but then she stood, although she was relying on the couch to help her. She took a deep breath, and tried not to cough. With the last of her natural strength she started to morph. 

***

The three humans, one red tailed hawk, and 11 Chee stood around a large tree in the middle of the Forest. Jake had sat down among the pine needles coughing. Even he was not willing to admit to himself that he was exhausted from the travel here. And they still had at least one more morph to go through.

Cassie was retching behind a bush, trying to retain as much dignity as possible. Marco leaned up against the tree, eyes closed, face flushed. He was lucky. It hadn't really started with him yet. "Ok," Erek finished "The vaccine should be, right here. A small red dot appeared on the holographic floor plan. I don't need to tell you that if it isn't there, we're done for. They won't fall for the same trick twice." 

Tobias and the Chee looked on the humans with troubled expressions. Not good. Not good at all. These few were the only hope humanity had, and such a pitiful bunch they were. One of the Chee, was working on the biofilter. He had to reroute its power so that it thought it was scanning, but it really wasn't. A simple matter, but one of great importance.

"Its off-line." The Chee said, "Lets do it." 

Marco smiled. "Oh, how very appropriate." 

The morphs went very slowly. At one point Jake wondered if he had enough strength to finish the morph. He was so tired, but as the tiger mind melded with his, he felt that calm sense of power, and he drew on it. The cool assuredness calmed him, and he felt better. There was only a bad feeling of detached ickyness, but that could be worked around.

With a nod from Erek, the Chee's holograms vanished, and they were replaced with 30, stamping, snorting, life-like Andalite warriors. Cassie sighed. If only they were real 

They aren't, Jake said, But we are. Lets go kill some yeerks, and save some people. 

Oh, great speech fearless leader. 

Thank you. 

At that, the Andalites leapt down the tree tunnel. After a few moments, the Animorphs followed. By the time the humans, and the hawk got down to pool level, the Andalite holograms had already blown large chunks out of a few of the walls. Humans, Hork-Bajir, and Taxxons milled around in great confusion. There was little meaningful resistance for the first minute, but then a few sub-vissers lead a charge against the Andalites. Tobias screamed as dracon blast cut him from the sky.

The Animorphs cut their way through whatever was in front of them, staying together as a tight little unit. A few Hork-Bajir threw themselves at them; it didn't take a great amount of brainpower to see that the one small group was heading towards the science facility.

It also didn't take a lot of brainpower to realize that the Andalites never died, that dracon beams passed right through them. As soon as it was seen that they weren't killing anyone, the yeerks realized the true threat, and surged at the now familiar animal shapes, passing through the entrance to the science section. 

There were few guards at the door; most had run to join the fighting, so the Animorphs took down the few Hork-Bajir easily. Jake was bleeding from many small cuts, and the feeling of ickyness was steadily becoming more and more tangible. Guys! Marco cried I think they just caught on! 

Cassie looked back to see the yeerks push forward Marco! Shut the door! 

His great gorilla hands reached for the heavy metal. With a push, the door swung shut and turned the lock. That will never hold! 

Jake looked around. The room was an outer office, with a large silver door at one end. A keypad and retinal scanner blinked off to one side. There were a few warning signs in many languages on the door. "Authorized Personal only. Danger."

That's where we need to be guys! Jake leapt forward. Marco? Can you get through here? There was an insistent banging on the outer door. The yeerks were going to get in! The gorilla lumbered over, and placing his fingers on the handle. He pulled with all of his might. There was a sound of grinding metal, and Marco screamed out as one of the muscles in his shoulder tore. But to his credit, he didn't stop pulling.

With a whoosh of air, and a sudden snap, the metal gave way under Marco's weight. Beyond that door was, a small airlock, and beyond that, a large laboratory. Marco and Jake threw themselves at the airlock, and it snapped easier than the last door. There was another whoosh of air, and the laboratory lay in front of them.

A few human technicians wearing protective suits stumbled backwards, tripping over the cords that provided them oxygen. Where is it? Cassie cried. 

I don't know! 

Test tubes and bottle lined the shelves and counters of the room. It could be any one of them! 

They're breaking through! With a final push, the yeerks broke past the office door. 

There! Marco followed Cassie's gaze. In a small refrigerator with a glass front, there sat two small rows of vials. One row was marked with red tape and a skull. The other row was marked with blue tape and, a happy face? These Yeerks are one _twisted_ spices! Marco said as he tore open the front of the cooling system.

Hork-Bajir poured into the outer room. Quickly Marco! Get them, and lets get outa here! The gorilla grabbed the entire row of blue vials, and held them all in the crook of his arm.

Exactly how are we going to do that Jake? Lets make these filthy yeerks pay! Without waiting for a response, Marco picked up a few of the red vials and tossed them into the crowd of charging Hork-Bajir. The small things broke when they came in contact with the ground. There was a collective scream from the yeerks in the front and they all moved backwards.

FOOLS! Came a bellowing voice from not so far away GET THEM! 

Jake, Cassie said, I have a feeling this is going to turn out badly. The Hork-Bajir surged forward one more time. 

# Chapter 11

As Jake and Cassie were about to jump to meet the yeerks, the left wall blew inwards. Pieces of rock and dirt flew by. The yeerks, and Animorphs were stunned. Rachel called out, This way! With a scream of triumph, Marco tipped over the refrigerator, sending the red vials, breaking all across the floor. 

Lets see how they deal with that! Jake Cassie and Marco all dove through the hole in the wall. Chee surrounded them, sending out holograms of many different tigers, bears, gorillas, and wolves. Rachel? How did you get here? 

Now is n…ot the time Ma…rco. By how she spoke, he could tell that she was pushed to the limit and was having a great deal of trouble. Marco could see now, by how Jake and Cassie were moving that they too, were barely holding on. 

INCOMPITANTS! GET THEM!!!! Visser 3 could just be seen at the other end of the pool. He was giving his commands from an ascending dropshaft, with a very convenient mask over his nose. 

With the help of the Chee's holograms, who were now portrayed to be dying, with new ones appearing, the Animorphs cut their way to an exit. Dracon blasts heated air to the left and right of them and several of the Chee fell with holes in their metal bodies. 

With almost the last of their remaining strength, the group made it to a dropshaft. A Chee stayed behind, to maintain the illusion while the others escaped. As soon as they broke through the surface, Erek sealed the top of the shaft, to prevent any followers.

Rachel staggered for a moment, and then collapsed, sending up a little poof of dust as the bear's body fell. In a second, Erek was beside her speaking softly "Rachel. We have the antidote. But you need to morph. You have to." Jake and Cassie were also swaying on their feet. When they returned to human, the previously only odd tangible feeling of ickyness hit them full blast, sending Jake doubling over as Cassie fell to her knees.

Marco thrust the blue vials at a Chee and started to demorph, himself. The Chee stood, staring at the vial, analyzing its contents. "This is it." He said. "From what I can tell, it was meant to be ingested. Hopefully it will work." He opened up a small compartment in his chest, and placed a single vial in it. "Now that we have a sample, we can synthesize it." Holding another out to Marco, he said, "Drink this."

Marco did. Cassie had passed out, her breathing shallow. A Chee had to pour some inside her mouth, and get her to swallow it. Jake was able to drink the bad smelling liquid of his own accord. The pain in his head was almost blinding. But all the while, Erek was talking to Rachel "Come on. Please. Morph." He was pleading more with himself then with the body in front of him. Another Chee reached down, to take his shoulder. "She is gone Erek. You cannot help her now." 

"Yes I can! I Can!" He placed his hands on the bear's chest, sending electricity shooting into it. 

"That will not help her Erek. Stop. Please?"

Erek broke down, sobbing. "Its just like Sagrena all over again!" 

"Oh. I know. I know." The other Chee drew him up in a big hug. 

Marco watched with a sick feeling in his heart. Ax dead. Tobias dead. Rachel dead. Where are we heading? Wherever it is, he thought, it would always be different.

# Epilogue

** **

****The anchorman smiled into the camera and continued to speak. "In a truly bizarre twist to a bizarre disease, some anonymous person, dropped off 20 _cases_ of a strange liquid at a local hospital with an attached note, simply reading 'This is the vaccine to the disease you have been treating.'. After careful analysis, it was discovered that it actually _was_ the vaccine. It was then, of course, distributed in utmost haste. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to this mysterious person, and our condolences go out to the families of the people who have passed on from this horrible, horrible tragedy." 

Special Thanks go out to Forlay and her suggestion to add an Epilogue. So, Thanks! 


End file.
